City of Light
by tatecherie
Summary: There is something magical about life when you're in love. Especially when you're in love and in New York City. Post 'Always,' spoilers for pretty much everything. Caskett.


**City of Lights **

* * *

**Chapter One**

The morning sun rose like fire, burning bright through the windows - the calm after the late-night storm. It sent yellow flames about the room, warming the bed and the two in it.

Kate stirred as the light reached her eyes, and turned to bury her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

Rick smiled as she did so, throwing his arm around her waist to pull her closer and hold her there.

She smiled in turn, and sighed contentedly into his skin.

"I don't want to get up," she remarked softly.

His smile grew wider. "Then don't."

"I won't."

He chuckled, then gave a happy sigh himself. "Good."

She pressed a kiss to his shoulder, as he kissed her temple.

It was silent for a few more minutes, until he broke the stillness. "Do you want coffee?" He reached up to push her long, chocolate locks out of her eyes, and she gave him a thousand-watt smile.

"That would be great." She kissed his lips, lingering for a second. She began to break away, but he chased her back, heating up the kiss. "You can't make coffee if you're in bed," she laughed into his mouth, pulling away.

"You started it." He reclaimed her lips, and she gave in.

"Mnmm-mm," she protested into his kiss.

"Mhnh-mmm."

"Shut up."

His tongue ran across her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to permit him in. They fought for dominance, as he rolled her over onto her back and pushed himself above her, never severing the connection of their lips.

"Rick-" she broke off in a moan as he moved his lips to her jawline, then down to her neck.

"Hmm?" He hummed low against the spot where her throat met her chest, nipping skin here and there, and then soothing it with his tongue and lips.

"I want to be with you."

He chuckled, his breath spreading warm against her ear and throat and oh, everywhere. " Isn't that what we're doing?"

"No, I mean..." he paused his passionate roaming and looked up to see her softly smiling at him. "Rick, I don't want to mess this up. I want to be with you, for the long-run. But I'm...even though I'm moving past everything...I'm still scared," she whispered. "But I want you. More than anything. Please know that."

Rick couldn't help but smile back as he fell in love with Katherine Beckett all over again, his eyes slightly watering. "Kate, I'm scared, too. But we're _worth_ it. I'm not going to let you mess this up or get away so easy. I've waited for four years for you, and now I finally have you." She reached up to touch his cheek when he paused, and he reached up to hold her hand there. "I'm already in it for the long-run." _  
_

It was quiet for a second as they stared at each other, their eyes filled to the brim with emotion, silently communicating everything they were thinking.

Rick seemed to understand the three words she wanted to say -wanted to say, oh, so very badly- but just couldn't quite bring to the forefront of her mouth.

He didn't push, didn't invade.

He _did_ look into the green of her eyes, however, and spoke the promise for the both of them.

"I love you, Kate. More than words."

And with that, passion again caught fire, and set the room ablaze.

* * *

Rick Castle had seen numerous amazing things in his lifetime.

He'd visited the pyramids in Giza, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Niagra Falls, the Great Wall of China, and so many others...but nothing compared to or was as breathtaking as his extraordinary Kate Beckett in nothing but his button-up shirt, which swallowed her whole.

He smiled at the sight of her leaning against the wall of his kitchen, hair mussed and wild, and a smile lighting up her entire face. She looked as if she were glowing in the soft yellow sunlight that streamed through his kitchen windows.

She was stunning.

"Morning, sleepyhead. For the second time," he winked.

"Sorry; didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"What can I say? I'm the most comfortable pillow there is! Plus," he waggled his eyebrows, "I think I wore you out."

She laughed her wonderful, carefree laugh, and walked over to him. "I agree with the first part. But _you_ were the one that couldn't catch your breath afterwards," she winked back. "What are you making?"

"Pancakes," he grinned, choosing to ignore her earlier comment. "And your coffee is on the counter," he pointed to a steaming mug, which she happily snatched up.

"Thanks." She beamed, recalling his words of how he brought her coffee everyday, just to see her smile.

She loved this man. Insanely so.

If only she could tell him.

"Sure. Wanna grab the juice out of the fridge?"

"Mhmm."

Rick smiled at how domestic they seemed, as if they'd been together forever.

Kate decided that yes, this was the best decision she'd ever made.

"So what time are you going in to work today?" he asked, as she spun around while the refrigerator doors closed behind her.

She set the juice on the table. "Uh, Rick, I..."

He flipped a pancake. "You...?"

"I...resigned. From the force."

"You _what_?" The spatula was set down beside the stove, as he snapped around to face her.

"I resigned," she repeated. "Yesterday." her voice suddenly lowered to an almost-whisper. "Gave Gates my gun and badge."

"Kate, I wanted you to let go of your mother's case, and your shooting...not your _job_. Not part of who you are. Just the things that were killing you." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair, eyes wide in disbelief. "This is all my fault. I'm so sorry. I'd never ask you to quit your job, Kate. We've got to go back and explain-"

"Rick, it's all okay!" She cut him off, speaking in a low tone, reaching out to still his hands. "My job came out of my mom's case. And right now, it _is_ the thing that's killing me." She paused, looking right into his eyes, still holding onto his hands. "I know you'd never ask me to quit. I know. But I needed to do this for myself. Trust me," she pleaded.

He sighed. "So you're...okay with it?"

She sighed, too. "Honestly, it's a little weird. A _lot_ weird. But...I think I _am_ okay. Like I said, I want you." She paused, looking down for a second before looking back up at him again. "And someone once told me to never put the job ahead of my heart. And...you, you _are_ my heart.

Rick kissed her for what must have been the thousandth time in that morning alone. "Kate, I love you. So, so much."

She grinned, molding into him. "I'll never get tired of hearing that," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck as he trapped her in a hug by wrapping his around her waist.

"Good." He lowered his head to put his mouth near her ear, planting kisses up and down her temple and cheek, whispering repeatedly the three words she now craved like air.

"I love you, I love you, I love you..."

* * *

Once breakfast had been eaten and cleaned up, and showers -err, _a_ shower- had been taken, the duo had decided on having a fun day, as neither had any obligation to be anywhere anymore.

Rick, however, would not tell Kate what exactly they were going to do.

Despite her protests, pleads, and refusals to cooperate until she was filled in, Kate was secretly excited on the inside. She trusted Rick with her whole being, so there was really no reason to be worried. But then again, it was _Rick_, so there _was_ a reason to be worried.

He assured her, though, that everything would be okay as he ushered her out the front door to his loft, and out onto the street.

"I think you've been exposed to New York's underbelly for far too long is all," he remarked as they crossed the street. "It's time to recapture its magic."

She looked at him in bewilderment, and he smiled back at her.

"You trust me?"

Kate nodded. "Always."

His heart pounded in his chest with utter love as he took her hand in his and pulled her closer into his side. "Then go with it."

She smiled and leaned into him. "Okay."

There was a pause, until he spoke up again.

"Can I kiss you?"

She stared at him in amused confusion -he hadn't asked her if he could all morning...he'd just gone for it. What changed?

And then, oh -_oh_...they were standing in the middle of a very busy, very _public_ sidewalk in very _crowded_ New York City.

He was looking out for her desire to live a private life.

He was putting his life on hold for her, _her_. As he'd always done.

God, she loved him.

"Yes," she smiled. "You can."

Their smiles were brilliant against their faces as he leaned down to capture her lips.

She didn't even have to verbalize her innermost thoughts or feelings; rather, he did for her. He'd waited four years for her to knock down her walls _this_ much...he'd wait four more for them to be entirely demolished if he had to.

"I love you, too," he murmured into the kiss.

She pulled away for a second, smiling softly at him. "Don't give up on me. I'll get there." She then went back to him, whispering in between kisses, "I'm sorry," and "wait for me."

Richard Castle only had one word for her, echoing her previous promise of trust.

"Always."

* * *

**A/N:** For those of you who read my story, Swings, I'm so very sorry. I'm officially closing it until I literally write the rest of the chapters. I'm leaving what's already done up, however, and I'm not marking it complete, because it's not. But that story is proving much more difficult than I originally thought it would be. Especially since it's completely AU now. Thanks to that S4 finale ;)

So yeah. It's a work in progress. But here is this mostly to get my muse warmed up again. And to celebrate the fact that my OTP IS CANON. ((((: (sorry this isn't great, it's seriously just to get me in the groove of writing again.)

Reviews are still air.

Thanks. (;


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